Sunday 5th July - Founder's Day
Major Graham Bailey
|
Thursday 2nd July was 'Founder's Day' - The Salvation Army was 155 years old! It was marked by a re-imagining of William Booth's "I'll Fight" speech updated for our current situation. Click on the image below to hear the message. |
Announcements:-
1- Commissioning of new Salvation Army Officers: Saturday 11th July
As you will know by now Commissioning 2020 will be a closed session with the Training College Staff and Cadets only in attendance, but the good news is that the event will be live streamed and the links for this are:
https://www.youtube.com/user/salvationarmyvideo
https://www.facebook.com/events/320136182325620/
https://www.youtube.com/user/salvationarmyvideo
https://www.facebook.com/events/320136182325620/
|
|
The Cadets of The Messengers of the Kingdom session.
|
The Cadets with associations with Bedford Congress Hall who will be Commissioned and ordained as Officers in The Salvation Army on Saturday are:
Cadets Jonny & Kat Whitmore Cadets Josh and Vikki Herbert Cadet Hannah Borrett |
2 - Books to Purchase and Donate to Charity at the same time!
Click Play to set the slide show going and you will see each image of the books.
|
ROOKS AT DUSK,
THE MAN WHO BROKE INTO ST PETER’S & THE MYSTERY OF MATTHEW GOLD Coming Soon: TO THE FOURTH GENERATION |
Chick Yuill has written three novels over the past few years :–
ROOKS AT DUSK, THE MAN WHO BROKE INTO ST PETER’S & THE MYSTERY OF MATTHEW GOLD If you have been wondering how you can, or someone you care about can, pass some of the long hours of these unexpected days at home, then here is a solution. Margaret and Chick Yuill have decided that they would like to make all three novels available at £5 each (RRP £8.99) (plus £2 p&p per book). This will cover the cost of each book and still allow them to donate £1 from each book to the charities they are supporting. Around £3800 has been raised to date. Also, they are now taking orders for advance copies of novel #4 TO THE FOURTH GENERATION which will be published in September, with advance copies available direct from the Yuills in August. The price of this book is £9.99 + £2 postage = £11.99. |
So, if you would like a copy/copies for yourself OR if you'd like us to mail a 'stay-at-home' gift to a friend/family member, please either:-
1) send either of us a Facebook message
2) email either of us at margaretyuill@martyart.co.uk OR chick.yuill@anvilding.co.uk
3) write to us at 178 Lawnhurst Avenue MANCHESTER M23 9RQ
4) phone us on 0161 998 9553 or 07857683400
When we hear from you we’ll let you know how you can place an order. Payment is preferable online but can also be by cheque.
Thank you
Margaret and Chick Yuill
1) send either of us a Facebook message
2) email either of us at margaretyuill@martyart.co.uk OR chick.yuill@anvilding.co.uk
3) write to us at 178 Lawnhurst Avenue MANCHESTER M23 9RQ
4) phone us on 0161 998 9553 or 07857683400
When we hear from you we’ll let you know how you can place an order. Payment is preferable online but can also be by cheque.
Thank you
Margaret and Chick Yuill
Let’s begin today by lifting up our hearts in praise to God:
Song: All Creatures of our God and King
Salvation Army Songbook #2
|
|
Click on the image to start the song.
Accompaniment is provided by Pendleton Corps in Oregon, USA |
Prayer:
|
|
Click on the image to hear Graham pray with us.
|
Let’s continue to just spend time in God’s presence as we sing the next song
Song: Dear Lord and Father of Mankind
Salvation Army Songbook #456
|
|
Click on the image to start the song.
This recording was made during our Sunday worship on 10th February 2019. |
Songsters: Time to be Holy
William Dunn Longstaff
|
|
This recording of Bedford Songsters was made during worship on the 14th October 2018.
The Songster Leader writes: This song is an adaptation of the well known hymn, "Take Time to be Holy". It was originally written towards the end of the 19th Century and the words address the idea of a subtle approach to Holiness. The words are an encouragement that as we spend more time in the Lord's presence as well as receiving restoration for ourselves we will become more Christ-like and so reflect Him in our everyday lives. |
Bible Reading: Luke 4: 1-21 New International Version (NIV)
|
|
Click on the image and hear Mary read the Scripture passage to us.
|
Church Family Item: June plays the piano
Click on the image to start the video the words associated with each of the melodies are printed.
|
First Tune:
I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart, I will enter His courts with praise; I will say this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice for He has made me glad. He has made me glad, He has made me glad, I will rejoice for He has made me glad. He has made me glad, He has made me glad, I will rejoice for He has made me glad. |
Second Tune:
Make me a channel of Your peace. Where there is hatred let me bring Your love; Where there is injury, Your pardon, Lord; And where there's doubt, true faith in You. Oh, master, grant that I may never seek So much to be consoled as to console; To be understood as to understand; To be loved as to love with all my soul. Make me a channel of Your peace. Where there's despair in life let me bring hope; Where there is darkness, only light; And where there's sadness, ever joy. Third Tune: Majesty, worship His majesty, Unto Jesus be glory, honour and praise. Majesty, kingdom authority, Flow from His throne unto His own, His anthem raise. So exalt, lift up on high the name of Jesus, Magnify, come glorify Christ Jesus the King. Majesty, worship His majesty, Jesus who died, now glorified, King of all kings. |
Thought:
We’re seemingly back in another time when everything is changing again! The ‘lockdown’ is being eased and things suddenly become very fluid and this can begin to unsettle us again.
One thing now, though, is that we can also look forward and begin to ask ourselves the question: when are we going to go back to the Army?
Going back? Is that what the Army is about, going back? On 2 July 1865, William Booth commenced his first open air Evangelistic campaign at the old Quaker burial ground on Mile End waste in Whitechapel, preaching in a tent. It was noted that "the breath of many reeked with the fumes of gin or beer which drove from the already heavy air within those canvas walls the last vestige of wholesomeness".
Today we are thinking about Founders’ Day – the day when we celebrate God envisioning one of His people to start work among the poor of London that eventually produced the Salvation Army.
On one of the Territories websites I read that Founders’ Day “was never meant to be a ‘worship Saint William’ day, but an occasion for looking at where we have come from, where we are now and encouragement for the future.”
Now, one of the lessons a lot of us have learned through the lockdown is that there are times when we wish we could do or say something to those that we love that is difficult / not the same when you’re not with them face to face.
When we are away from our loved ones, we are suddenly all too aware of what they mean to us and we are also then aware that we need to express our feelings to them – we discover what is important and the value of telling others about that.
If we are thinking about that and about people we won’t see again for a while or ever, then again that issue becomes all the more poignant.
Pulling these to strands together then and we can see that the last sermon of William Booth – his last opportunity to express publicly his thoughts to his ‘troops’ – would have been very significant as to the way he wanted the Army to go.
So, what did he say? Make sure that you keep developing our standing in the Country & with those in power? Make sure you develop the meeting worship? Make sure you continue to grow the Salvation Army? NO!
He said, “While women weep as they do now, I’ll fight;
while little children go hungry as they do now, I’ll fight;
while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight;
while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl on the streets,
while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight—I’ll fight to the very end.”
That must be, then, for the Founder of the Salvation Army the most important thing for the Army to do in his absence – the essence of being ‘Army’.
What is also interesting is the similarity of that to what Jesus had to say in our Scripture reading earlier:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
That reading, where Jesus quotes from the prophet Isaiah, is often known as Jesus’ manifesto – the things that define His Kingdom and, according to William Booth, define the Salvation Army too.
The essence of who we are is as a people who are outward looking to making a difference in the world. When we come together we celebrate the Kingdom – a foretaste of the celebration when the Kingdom comes in all its fullness. However, that’s good and uplifting for us, but the rest of the week we bring the Kingdom in; by how we fight & stand against injustice (a big subject in the world at the moment), how we help those who are unable to help themselves (‘unable’ in so many ways), how we bring the light of the Kingdom to our dark world, so that the darkness goes! That’s what Jesus, and William Booth, say we are about!
There is so much more to this whole subject, please spend time thinking / praying about it. As I said, we have become acutely aware of what is important to us and the need to express that whilst we can, how much more, then, the need to take the opportunities we have each day to show others the Kingdom whilst we can.
Reflect on these things as you hear a song many will know very well:
Click on the image to hear the song.
One thing now, though, is that we can also look forward and begin to ask ourselves the question: when are we going to go back to the Army?
Going back? Is that what the Army is about, going back? On 2 July 1865, William Booth commenced his first open air Evangelistic campaign at the old Quaker burial ground on Mile End waste in Whitechapel, preaching in a tent. It was noted that "the breath of many reeked with the fumes of gin or beer which drove from the already heavy air within those canvas walls the last vestige of wholesomeness".
Today we are thinking about Founders’ Day – the day when we celebrate God envisioning one of His people to start work among the poor of London that eventually produced the Salvation Army.
On one of the Territories websites I read that Founders’ Day “was never meant to be a ‘worship Saint William’ day, but an occasion for looking at where we have come from, where we are now and encouragement for the future.”
Now, one of the lessons a lot of us have learned through the lockdown is that there are times when we wish we could do or say something to those that we love that is difficult / not the same when you’re not with them face to face.
When we are away from our loved ones, we are suddenly all too aware of what they mean to us and we are also then aware that we need to express our feelings to them – we discover what is important and the value of telling others about that.
If we are thinking about that and about people we won’t see again for a while or ever, then again that issue becomes all the more poignant.
Pulling these to strands together then and we can see that the last sermon of William Booth – his last opportunity to express publicly his thoughts to his ‘troops’ – would have been very significant as to the way he wanted the Army to go.
So, what did he say? Make sure that you keep developing our standing in the Country & with those in power? Make sure you develop the meeting worship? Make sure you continue to grow the Salvation Army? NO!
He said, “While women weep as they do now, I’ll fight;
while little children go hungry as they do now, I’ll fight;
while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I’ll fight;
while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl on the streets,
while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I’ll fight—I’ll fight to the very end.”
That must be, then, for the Founder of the Salvation Army the most important thing for the Army to do in his absence – the essence of being ‘Army’.
What is also interesting is the similarity of that to what Jesus had to say in our Scripture reading earlier:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”
That reading, where Jesus quotes from the prophet Isaiah, is often known as Jesus’ manifesto – the things that define His Kingdom and, according to William Booth, define the Salvation Army too.
The essence of who we are is as a people who are outward looking to making a difference in the world. When we come together we celebrate the Kingdom – a foretaste of the celebration when the Kingdom comes in all its fullness. However, that’s good and uplifting for us, but the rest of the week we bring the Kingdom in; by how we fight & stand against injustice (a big subject in the world at the moment), how we help those who are unable to help themselves (‘unable’ in so many ways), how we bring the light of the Kingdom to our dark world, so that the darkness goes! That’s what Jesus, and William Booth, say we are about!
There is so much more to this whole subject, please spend time thinking / praying about it. As I said, we have become acutely aware of what is important to us and the need to express that whilst we can, how much more, then, the need to take the opportunities we have each day to show others the Kingdom whilst we can.
Reflect on these things as you hear a song many will know very well:
Click on the image to hear the song.
|
Everyday they pass me by
I can see it in their eyes Empty people filled with care Headed who knows where On they go through private pain Living fear to fear Laughter hides their silent cries Only Jesus hears |
People need the Lord, people need the Lord
At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door People need the Lord, people need the Lord When will we realize people need the Lord? We are called to take His light To a world where wrong seems right What could be too great a cost For sharing life with one who's lost? Through His love our hearts can feel All the grief they bear They must hear the words of life Only we can share People need the Lord, people need the Lord At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door People need the Lord, people need the Lord When will we realize that we must give our lives? For people need the Lord, people need the Lord |
Before we sing, take time to read the next song as a poem and let the words speak to you……..
We're in God's Army and we fight wherever wrong is found;
A lowly cot or stately home may be our battleground.
We own no man as enemy, sin is our challenged foe;
we follow Jesus, Son of God, as to the war we go.
We shall not lose the fight of faith, for Jesus is our Lord,
we lay all carnal weapons down to take His shining sword.
When our invading forces march, in every tongue we sing;
we are of every class and race, yet one in Christ, the king.
Our Master's darkest battlefield, upon a lonely height,
reveals God's sword to everyone, a cross of love and light.
His Kingdom cometh not by force but, by the gentle power
of righteousness and truth and grace, He triumphs every hour.
Sometimes, His happy people march with banners floating high,
though often in secluded ways, they fight that self may die.
The good fight is the fight of faith,
Heaven's victories are won by men unarmed,
save with the mind that was in Christ, the Son.
As morning overwhelms the night, so truth shall sin o'erthrow,
and love at last shall vanquish hate as sunshine melts the snow.
A lowly cot or stately home may be our battleground.
We own no man as enemy, sin is our challenged foe;
we follow Jesus, Son of God, as to the war we go.
We shall not lose the fight of faith, for Jesus is our Lord,
we lay all carnal weapons down to take His shining sword.
When our invading forces march, in every tongue we sing;
we are of every class and race, yet one in Christ, the king.
Our Master's darkest battlefield, upon a lonely height,
reveals God's sword to everyone, a cross of love and light.
His Kingdom cometh not by force but, by the gentle power
of righteousness and truth and grace, He triumphs every hour.
Sometimes, His happy people march with banners floating high,
though often in secluded ways, they fight that self may die.
The good fight is the fight of faith,
Heaven's victories are won by men unarmed,
save with the mind that was in Christ, the Son.
As morning overwhelms the night, so truth shall sin o'erthrow,
and love at last shall vanquish hate as sunshine melts the snow.
Song: We're in God's Army and we Fight
Salvation Army Songbook #991
|
|
Click on the image to start the song.
This recording was made during our Sunday worship on 14th April 2019. |
Finally, let’s remind ourselves that, as the name of the session of the current Cadets says, we are Messengers of the Kingdom!
Song: Hear the call of the Kingdom
Songs of Fellowship #1819
|
|
Click on the image to start the song.
This recording was made during our Sunday Worship on the 8th September 2019. |
Don’t forget to pray for Jonny & Kat Whitmore, Hannah Borrett and Josh & Vicky Herbert in these days, as they sign their Covenants on Wednesday 8th July and then support them by watching the Commissioning next Saturday (11th) at 2 pm via either of these links:
https://www.youtube.com/salvationarmyvideo
or
www.facebook.com/wbc1929
https://www.youtube.com/salvationarmyvideo
or
www.facebook.com/wbc1929
Note: Our 'take-away' Sunday worship started on the 22nd March. To find the previous week's services go to the Archive section of the website listed under the 'more.....' tab at the top of the page. On the 'C-19 Worship' section of the website we will only keep the current and previous month on this section of the website before moving them into the Archive.
Can you help?
In this current situation when our church doors are closed to our normal activities but our work to support those in need continues our normal source of funds (Sunday Tithes and Offerings) have reduced dramatically. We need your help, so that we continue to be ready to meet the ongoing needs of our community that will undoubtedly impact beyond this lock down period. If you are willing to help please visit our Just Giving Page to make a donation to this work. https://www.justgiving.com/